Boker Kwaiken Liner Lock Flipper Knife Cocobolo Wood (3.5" Satin)

I always liked the Kwaiken but never bought one until this sale. The knife operated smoothly and was well assembled. The finish on the wood scales was crappy, and there were some scuffs. I could have sent it back, but instead I took it apart, sanded the scales and refinished it the way I wanted to with some semi gloss urethane top coat. Yes, the ball bearings are loose - and they are TINY. Be careful on disassembly. This thing is now a very lovely desk defense weapon/ letter opener/ nail trimmer, fidget toy. Fantastic deal for the price and a joy to flip and play with, and actually use. I may use it as a dress folder, too, or put it in that rotation anyhow- it would go well with suit pants. The blade was sharp out of the box, and after some stropping is great.

I had one kwaiken in the past. A carbon fiber handled one. It was good, but I didn’t like the ikbs loose bearing balls. When I saw that this knife had caged bearings I jumped on it. Unfortunately it doesn’t have caged bearings. The description is wrong. The knife is a little heavy, the blade stock is a little thick, the edges of the wood are a little sharp, and the the blade edge is very close to the opening in the back of the handle when closed. All of that being said, it’s still a very nice knife. I sanded the wood edges they are great now. It’s still heavy, but it fits nicely in my hand and my pocket. The hollow grind makes the edge sharp. The blade centering and liner lock detent are perfect. Also the flipper tab and jimping are wonderful. The fidget factor is very high with this one. The wood looks very nice, I’m thinking of coating it to try to bring out more of the grain coloring. All in all, I definitely recommend this knife especially for $60.